Happy English Podcast
Language Learning Podcasts
Learn American English with your host Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English in New York City. Michael has been teaching English since 1994. This is an English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) podcast that brings you fun, practical, and useful English lessons which are ideal for intermediate and advanced level English learners everywhere. This podcast is perfect for university students, business professionals, homemakers, retirees and anyone who is interested in learning and improving their English skills. Every week, you are going to learn American English idioms, conversational expressions and phrasal verbs. As your American English teacher, I will help you learn real and natural American English pronunciation and conversational style. You will get the chance to improve your vocabulary and have a clear understanding of practical English grammar. I also help you have a deeper understanding of American Culture through language learning. Join my podcast learner's study group to practice these lessons with me each week on zoom. Get Happy, Get English. Happy English!
Location:
United States
Genres:
Language Learning Podcasts
Description:
Learn American English with your host Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English in New York City. Michael has been teaching English since 1994. This is an English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) podcast that brings you fun, practical, and useful English lessons which are ideal for intermediate and advanced level English learners everywhere. This podcast is perfect for university students, business professionals, homemakers, retirees and anyone who is interested in learning and improving their English skills. Every week, you are going to learn American English idioms, conversational expressions and phrasal verbs. As your American English teacher, I will help you learn real and natural American English pronunciation and conversational style. You will get the chance to improve your vocabulary and have a clear understanding of practical English grammar. I also help you have a deeper understanding of American Culture through language learning. Join my podcast learner's study group to practice these lessons with me each week on zoom. Get Happy, Get English. Happy English!
Twitter:
@happyenglishny
Language:
English
Contact:
5165824181
Website:
https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Email:
happyenglishny@gmail.com
Episodes
854 - Beach Life – Sunscreen, Umbrellas & Snacks
8/6/2025
Are you ready to pack a picnic and have some fun in the sun? Before calling it a day, check out today’s English lesson podcast all about beach life, part of our summer series on American Culture.
We’re gonna talk about beach life, which could be the beach at the ocean or a lake, and to some degree even the neighborhood swimming poll. Along the way, I’ll show you five idioms and phrases that match the sunscreen, beach umbrellas, and beach snacks theme: fun in the sun, catch some rays, pack a picnic, chill out, and call it a day.
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Duration:00:11:14
853 - Speaking Naturally – Thought Groups and Pausing
8/4/2025
Just because you’re speaking fast, doesn’t mean you’re speaking fluently. Fluency is not about speed. Fluency is about rhythm. It’s about sounding natural — with the right pauses, the right tone, and the right feeling.
Today, I want to help you speak more naturally by focusing on something that native speakers do all the time — even if they don’t realize it. And that is: Thought Groups.
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Duration:00:10:22
852 - Hot Weather Phrasal Verbs
8/1/2025
Wow! It’s really heating up out there today. In fact, I was totally burning up when I was walking the dogs. Thankfully I can cool down with the A/C.
Today, I've got some phrasal verbs for you that we use to talk about hot weather. Phrasal verbs are such an integral part of English. I mean, native speakers not only use them all the time, but prefer to use them in conversation. And you should to. Using this kind of language will make your spoken English sound much more natural.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:10:26
851 - Summer Jobs
7/30/2025
Someone recently asked me if teaching English was a side hustle. Really? I hustle, that's for sure, but this is my only job. And I got my foot in the door in 1994 in Japan. Wow time flies!
Today, we have another episode in our summer series about American culture. It’s Week 7, and today we’re talking about something that’s kind of a rite of passage in the U.S.—summer jobs.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Duration:00:11:14
850 - In Case You Need This
7/28/2025
Just in case you were wondering, this is another podcast English lesson. And in case you like what I’m gonna teach here, I’ll give you some tips to help you remember it.
Today, I want to help you out with a handful of phrases that all use the words “in” and “case.” In this lesson, we’re going over expressions like “in case,” “in case of,” “just in case,” “in any case,” “in that case,” and “whatever the case.” These are super common in daily English, and they each have their own little twist when it comes to grammar and meaning.
My AI English Tutor is HERE
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Duration:00:11:45
849 - Pop Phrases in American English
7/25/2025
I’m glad you popped in today. Now this lesson may not make your eyes pop out, but before you pop out or pop the question, you’re gonna want to learn these phrases and idioms with pop.
You know, the word “pop” is such a fun little word in English. It’s short, quick, kind of energetic… and actually, that’s exactly how we use it — to describe things that happen quickly or suddenly. Today we’re going to check out some of the most common and useful “pop” expressions that native English speakers use all the time.
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Cork Pop Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay
Duration:00:10:31
848 - American Summer Sports
7/23/2025
I really hope this podcast English lesson catches on. It took me a while to write it, because sports aren’t really my thing, but I stepped up to the plate and did it. And the inspiration for this lesson came out of left field.
It’s Week 6 of our American culture summer series, and today we’re talking about summer sports—you know, the kinds of things that make you sweat, smile, and maybe fall on your face a little. We’re talking baseball, skateboarding, surfing, and beach volleyball. Let’s dive right in—no pun intended.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:10:28
847 - How To Pronounce Past Verbs ED
7/21/2025
Have you worked on your English yet today? Have you studied a lot? Have you ever wanted to improve your pronunciation? Work > worked, study > studied, Want > wanted. Let’s dive in!
Today we’re gonna clear up that mystery. I’m talking about the pronunciation of -ed in past tense verbs. Believe it or not, there are three different ways to pronounce -ed, and once you know the rules, it actually makes a lot of sense. And do do this, we need to divide the verbs into three groups.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Duration:00:08:24
846 - Summer Slang- Cool Words for Hot Weather
7/18/2025
Oh man, it’s a scorcher out there. I just came back from walking Max, and I’m melting. I mean, it’s so hot, you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. How’s the weather where you are? Oh, hot there too? Why don’t we beat the heat together with this podcast English lesson.
English has some fun ways to talk about this kind of weather. That’s what we’re going to check out today. Cool Words for Hot Weather.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Duration:00:09:58
845 - Backyard Fun
7/16/2025
I want you to know that I didn’t just throw this lesson together. And please, if you’re driving, feel free to turn it up! And if you’re at home, kick back, and enjoy as we dive into backyard fun.
Every week, all summer long, we’ve been looking at how Americans live, relax, and celebrate the season. This is part of my This Week in American Life series—and today, we’re talking about something simple but super common: Backyard Fun. I’m talking about lawn games, grilling, iced tea, lemonade… and just hanging out with friends and family right outside your back door.
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Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Duration:00:10:50
844 - Phrasal Verbs Related to Driving
7/14/2025
I almost hit the wall when I backed up my car. I was in the middle of talking to Jack when he suddenly cut me off to tell me that I should slow down. Anyway, why don’t you pull up so we can go through this lesson!
If you’ve ever driven in the U.S., or you’re just curious about how we talk about driving in everyday English, then today’s episode is for you. We’re going to talk about phrasal verbs that we use when driving—and trust me, there are a lot of them.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:09:15
843 - What Does Won’t Really Mean
7/10/2025
I’m sure you won’t forget this lesson. Even though my usual recording software won’t work with my new microphone, I won’t give up brining this to. I know you like to study here, so I won’t disappoint you!
Today, we’re going to talk about a small word that packs a lot of meaning—“won’t.” That’s W-O-N-apostrophe-T. It’s short for “will not,” but depending on the context, it can mean a lot more than just “not in the future.”
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:08:44
842 - Time to Beat the Heat
7/9/2025
The temperature was already 30 degrees at 7:00 this morning. Let me tell you, it’s time to beat the heat. A nice dish of chocolate ice cream is one of my favorite ways to cool off, and on a day like this, that really hits the spot!
It’s Week 4 of our summer series, and this time, we’re talking about how Americans beat the heat. Well, two things come to mind right away: ice cream and movie theaters.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:08:02
841 - This Is Some Lesson
7/7/2025
I have some things to tell you today, even though I had some trouble putting this lesson together. I mean I had like some 50 different ideas, but I narrowed it down to this one. This is gonna be some lesson!
Today, we’re diving into a small word that does a lot of work in English—“some.” You probably already use it, but did you know that some has more than one meaning? Did you know that we have 7 ways to use some?
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
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Airplane, Seatbelt Sign Beep by Kinoton -- https://freesound.org/s/670297/ -- License: Creative Commons 0
Duration:00:09:25
840 - Another, The Other, Other
7/3/2025
The other day, I was thinking about what kind of lesson I can teach here and at first I had an idea, and then I had another idea and then another one. The first one actually brought me to the other one.
Today, we’re going to talk about three little words that can cause big confusion:
another, other, and the other. They might seem similar, but they’re used in different ways—and understanding how to use them correctly can really help you sound more natural in English.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:07:53
839 - Independence Day
7/2/2025
This summer, I’ve been sharing short and fun lessons about American life—what people do, eat, and celebrate. This week, we’re talking about Fireworks & Food, because it’s time for one of the biggest holidays of the summer: July 4th, officially known as Independence Day, and casually called, the fourth of July.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:07:29
838 - Each or Every
6/30/2025
I’m gonna guess that each of you listening to this podcast is interested in improving your English. I think about that ever time I write up one of these lessons. And I’m sure that today, every one of you is gonna like this lesson about each and every.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:09:31
837 - Do you Belive
6/27/2025
I believe you like learning English, don’t you. In this case, I believe has the same meaning as I think. I’m pretty sure you like English. Believe me, if that’s true, I believe you’re gonna love this English lesson.
Today, let's look at the difference between believe, believe in, and trust. These little words come up all the time in conversations, and even though they seem pretty similar, they each have their own flavor, their own feeling.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:08:54
836 - Summer Getaways
6/25/2025
Why don’t you take a short getaway from what you were just doing, and check out today’s podcast English lesson. I’m pretty sure that doing so will make you a happy camper.
Today, we’re talking about Summer Getaways—road trips, camping, and national parks. Let’s dive in!
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:09:07
835 - All The Ways We Can Think
6/22/2025
I think you’re gonna like this lesson. I assume you’ve heard a lot of this vocabulary before, but I reckon maybe you haven't used all of it. In that case, I guess you may need to grab a notebook!
You know, English has a ton of words for expressing thoughts, opinions, guesses, feelings, and assumptions. So today, we’re going to break those down — in a fun, simple way — so you can use them naturally in your own English conversations.
Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript
Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/
Duration:00:08:42